# privateer

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌpɹaɪ.vəˈtɪə/ · frequency rank #50,739

## Definitions
1. A privately owned warship that acted under a letter of marque to attack enemy merchant ships and take possession of their cargo.
2. An officer or any other member of the crew of such a ship; a government-sanctioned pirate.
3. An advocate or beneficiary of privatization of a government service or activity.
4. A private individual entrant into a race or competition who does not have the backing of a large, professional team.
5. A racing team that is not a subsidiary of a large conglomerate, or automotive or vehicle manufacturer.

## Etymology
From private + -eer probably after volunteer, shortened from the original term "Private Man-of-war".

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/privateer